Food of Royalty is low in Calories
and easy to prepare

Should I ever be elevated to the esteemed position of poet Laureate do not crown me with laurel leaves, crown me with ASPARAGUS! Tender young shoots smothered in rich hollandaise sauce, I can make a whole meal of this alone.

Asparagus has a long history. It was originally grown by the ancient Egyptians and of course cultivated by the Romans. Juvenal is said to have dined on a wild variety. Asparagus eventually became popular in France, during the reign of Louis the XIV, the sun King.

Asparagus has only 25 calories in 4 ounces, and is very high in vitamin A and C. Asparagus comes in three colors, the popular green, a rich purple, and a blanched white. Try them all, but always include some hollandaise on the side.

Asparagus is easy to cook. Gently steam or boil it for approximately 15 minutes over medium high heat. Most cookbooks will tell you to cook it for 20 to 30 minutes, but this will leave you with mushy asparagus.

The origins of hollandaise sauce is obscured by time and to little research into food history! Hollandaise is an emulsion sauce which is thought to have been a fairly recent addition to the culinary arts, but Anne Marie Rousseau, a friend who is doing research on the 17th century French cookbook La Varenne, has uncovered a recipe that is very close to modern hollandaise. The only difference being the use of vinegar instead of lemon juice for the souring agent. The following recipe is for a very quick, extremely easy, NO-FAIL hollandaise sauce. I like to put it on just about anything and often eat it straight from the blender!

Easy Hollandaise Sauce
3 egg yolks
a pinch cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup butter, melted and hot

Note: If you are allergic to raw, or almost raw egg, avoid this recipe. The hot butter is not really cooking the eggs just binding them with the other ingredients.

Place the egg yolks, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice in a blender and with the lid on tight, but the middle of the lid removed blend on high. Make sure the butter is very hot, but has not browned, and very slowly drizzle it into the egg mixture. Continue to blend until all the butter has been incorporated and the mixture is a thick sauce. Makes approximately one cup of sauce. This is also good on poached eggs and ham.

If you are not partial to hollandaise sauce, but crave an elegant way to serve asparagus try this recipe. You can use almost any cheese, but the saltiness of the parmesan brings out the natural flavor of the asparagus.

Asparagus au Gratin
1 bunch asparagus, steamed
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Pre-heat oven to the highest broil setting.

In a flat oven proof dish arrange the asparagus in a fan shape. Distribute the butter evenly throughout the dish and sprinkle the parmesan over top of all. Broil for 5 to 8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve hot. Serves 6.

This taste combination is not one you would think of putting together, but it is surprisingly refreshing.

Asparagus, Oranges, and Walnut Salad
1 bunch asparagus
1 cup walnuts
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 oranges, peeled and sliced
1/8 cup sesame oil
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon orange peel

Chop the asparagus into bite size pieces and boil for 15 minutes. Once cooked drain immediately and run under cold water to halt the cooking process. Place the asparagus in a large bowl and combine with other ingredients.

Marinate the salad for 2 hours in the fridge tossing occasionally to mix the ingredients. Serve cold. Serves 8.

Now is the season to gorge yourself on fresh local asparagus. Go get some quick, before I buy it all up.

Food is life. May the plenty that graces your table truly be a Vast Repast.

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